Consequential Revenge
by exquisitedreamer
Summary: When Lily unwittingly crushes James' heart, Sirius, with a reluctant Remus, set out on the tantalizing path of revenge. When this path of destruction triggers consequences they've never imagined before, what will they do when things go beyond repair? LJ
1. Disclaimer and InDepth Summary

**Consequential Revenge**

By ExquisiteDreamer

Disclaimer

I, Tiffany Yuan, do not lay claim to anything in the Potter World. However, some characters that you do not recognize from the revered J.K. Rowling's books are my creations and I shall be sure to note that in my Author's Notes section of each chapter. Just for the record, this disclaimer applies to this entire story and I will not be writing this over and over for each chapter.

Detailed Summary

Years ago, before the time of the Golden Trio and the first fall of the great Dark Lord, Voldemort, there was the time of the Marauders. Fiercely loyal to one another, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew were the best of friends during their school years. This tale takes us to their seventh year around Christmastime where James has foolish bound his soul to a dazzling diamond pendant. When he presents it to Lily, and she accepts it, their love shall know no bounds. However, if she rejects it, James shall feel the emptiness and pain that a soul binding can bring. Lily unwittingly crushes the young wizard's heart and Sirius, with the help of Remus, set out on a path of destructive pranks. Pranks, that backfire in the last way that they'd ever imagine.


	2. Chapter 1: Confrontations

James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter strode down the small dirt path that led to the quaint village of Hogsmeade. Towering green trees loomed over the four friends as they walked at a brisk pace, hoping to catch sight of the sunrise. It was an early Saturday morning and Professor Dumbledore had given the school special permission to visit Hogsmeade at any time of the day.

The Marauders, as the four friends were known as, had chosen to go during the early morning, in hopes that they would beat the crowds and even catch sight of the glowing red sun ascend the heavens.

"Stop… _romping_ Padfoot, Moony is restless enough," reprimanded James as he fiddled with the hem of a thick forest green cloak. "Don't you worry, we'll be the first students at Hogsmeade."

Peter was quiet that morning, as he usually was, but Sirius was rather grumpy about having to get up at 5:30 a.m. "Well we better be the first bloody students there or else I'll be _very_ angry," grumbled the darkly handsome young man. "It's bad enough that Peter forgot to grab some food from the kitchen!"

The small boy with rather rodent-like features was dwarfed by his larger companions as he looked pathetically down at the well-worn path and shuffled his feet nervously. "Sorry Sirius," he said in a small voice. "I couldn't get James' trunk open so I couldn't use the Invisibility cloak. Filch has been rather annoying about patrolling the halls since Dumbledore gave us this special Hogsmeade weekend."

Remus Lupin was between Sirius and James, a level-headed rock of common sense between the two easy riled best friends. He wore a cloak of midnight blue over casual slacks and a plain shirt that reflected his practical personality. He possessed a short but blunt nose that accentuated his soft canine features and calm composure. "Give it up Padfoot," warned the werewolf. "Today we're going to have _fun_ not bicker like first years."

The four soon lapsed into a comfortable silence as Hogsmeade came into view, bathed in the first soft rays of sunshine. Cottages could be seen, flickering to life as the villagers began to wake up and start a new day. Shops were also lighting up as merchants began setting up for the day's customers.

However, Remus' keen werewolf senses could detect another being nearby that was walking steadily towards them. The scent was somewhat familiar and held a peaceful sense of serenity.

Peter was the second to notice, but unlike Remus, he was not the master of subtlety. He pivoted around to catch a better sight of the newcomer and decided to announce their presence out loud.

"Hey James!" he said in an excited voice. "There's Evans!"

A willowy figure was descending upon them at a slow and tranquil pace. Lily Evans was garbed in a pair of soft, faded jeans and a pastel pink sweater with a scooped out neckline. A shimmering white cloak rested gently on her shoulders with ringlets of flame-like curls contrasting against the neutral cloth.

James quickly clamped a strong hand over the foolish young man's mouth, silencing any further sounds that would inadvertently leave the youth's mouth. "Shh!" he hissed. "Let's just hope that she's in a better mood in the mornings."

Because of their considerably slowed pace, Lily soon came upon them wearing a half-scowl on her face as if she was either too tired or content to start a fight. "What are you doing here?" she asked, motioning to the serene forested surroundings. "I wouldn't think that _boys_ could appreciate nature."

"It's the shortest route to Hogsmeade," answered Sirius, cutting off James' attempt at placating the fiery redhead.

Lily's elven features crinkled in disgust as her almond shaped eyes narrowed with distaste. Brilliant emerald green orbs flashed with annoyance and revulsion. At first it seemed like she was going to yell at them, but with a long glare, she finally broke off eye contact and brushed by the shocked students.

James was the first to recover and he shook his head, rumpling his already mussed jet black hair. Then he started as he saw Lily's retreating back. "Wait!" he cried out, almost automatically. "Evans, will you go out with me? We'll promise not to take this path anymore, if it bothers you so much."

In a swirl of color, Lily whirled around with an angry expression clearly written across her face. "No," she spat. "Do you want to know why? It's because you're a conceited little boy who finds endless amusement in other's misery."

With that stinging remark, she Disapparated with a small indignant pop. James looked rather helplessly at his friends. "Still?" he asked with a pleading note.

Sirius looked rather grim as he watched his friend's heart get trampled over. "Still," he concluded.

The raven-haired boy tried to act nonchalant but failed miserably. Remus lent a comforting hand to his shoulder while Sirius attempted to bolster his friend's mood by pointing out the village that they had arrived at. Peter had scurried away to a vendor to buy them some breakfast and hopefully avoid incurring Black's wrath.

"I've got to turn her head," mumbled James. "Jewelry might work. She likes pretty things; all girls do."

Remus looked sympathetically at his friend. "There's a small jewelry shop further into the village," he offered. "We'll look at it after Peter comes back with our breakfast."

The small young man soon returned, laden with wrapped packages of freshly made rolls and piping hot sausages. Several other parcels were full of small flaky apple pies for a sweet treat. The boys opted to stroll throughout Hogsmeade while eating the hot goodies rather than find a place to sit. Most shops were open or were in the process of opening, but James dragged Remus along to search for the jewelry shop as Sirius and Peter headed toward Zonko's.

The two soon came upon a small cobblestone path that led away from the main road. A small wooden sign jutted out onto the main road decorated with cracked golden paint. Old golden calligraphy letters spelled out "Jewels and Baubles" in a sort of spindly handwriting.

A small cottage could be seen about one hundred paces away, squished between two larger, more modern buildings. James took a hold of a stray scarf end and tucked it firmly in place as he started toward the shop. Remus followed behind him, rather uneasy about suggesting the idea in the first place.

A melodic tinkling sound could be heard as they entered the small establishment and a young man son appeared in their range of vision. He waved enthusiastically and wove his way around various tables to greet the duo. "Hello, I'm Michael Parker," he said in a warm, cordial tone. "Can I help you two?"

"Hello, Mr. Parker," said James, extending a hand. "I'm James Potter and I'm looking for a special piece of jewelry, beautiful enough to turn any lady's head and something with a special _meaning_."

His hand was met by a strong grip and jolting handshake. "Well, well," he chuckled good-naturedly. "I've got just the selection for you, if you'll follow me…"

They made their way through the cramped shop and finally stopped in front of a small glass display case. Inside of the enclosed space were pendants of varying beauty. Some displayed an elegant sense of attractiveness while others seemed decidedly dark in magnificence.

The enthusiastic young man rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Now, these are all especially hand-crafted and were made by my late father, James Parker."

James shot him a questioning look and received a rather sad smile in return. "He passed away not two weeks ago," Michael replied in a cheerless voice. "That's why I've led you here. I feel as if you deserve something special in the memory of my father."

James was flabbergasted and tried to thank him but was waved away. "Don't waste your thanks until you can find that piece that will be suited for your girlfriend," cautioned Michael. "I can't promise you that any of these will be suitable, however, there is something you can add that will highly increase its sentimental value…"

Trying not to look overexcited, the raven-haired wizard motioned for him to continue. "However, it can only be done if you are truly devoted to your loved one," he explained. "You can take the part of your soul that this woman 'holds' and capture it in the perfect piece of jewelry for her. However, if she refuses it, you will feel exactly how painful it is to wrench a part of your soul away."

James swallowed at the heavy implications of such a gift, but his Gryffindor courage bolstered him enough to accept the deal. "I'll do it," he said firmly, ignoring Remus' loud protests. "Now, what do you think will be best on someone with a slender figure and has angelic features and flaming red hair?" he asked.

Michael tapped his fingers on the case, propping his chin up with his other hand. "Hmmm," he murmured. "I haven't had a red-headed customer in years, but… I think this _might _do it."

Lithe fingers quickly unfastened a lock and a pendant was slid across the counter. Its chain was a delicate thing made of white gold and on the end; a small diamond was seen, emitting a dim pulsing aura of white brilliance. The gem itself was small, but it was valuable beyond comparison because of its natural perfection and beauty.

James didn't dare touch it, for fear of the exquisite thing snapping in two between his rough fingers. Already he could imagine Lily's slender fingers undoing the clasp and bringing it around her bare throat, flaming red locks of hair brushing against the precious metal.

Lost in the hypnotic vision, Michael had to clap loudly to gain his attention once more. "Now, we can proceed with the soul binding if you wish, but you must first understand the consequences," he warned.

"If your girlfriend rejects this necklace, the pain that you did not feel when giving your part of your soul will come, increased tenfold. For two years you will feel empty and alone unless that girl kisses you with the same amount of love that you have given her by ensouling this piece of jewelry," he explained. "Also, you cannot tell her that you have enchanted this pendant or else the same consequences will occur except nothing can remedy the effects."

The young man swallowed to moisten his dry throat. His heart was pounding madly as he stared at the exquisite piece, torn between the dire consequences and the mad urge to win over Lily. He was dimly aware of Remus yelling at him, begging him not to accept but he paid no heed. All that he could think of was Lily and the pendant. It was all he could do to add to the natural radiance she possessed; the only thing he could give to her that was worthy of her attention.

A voice unfamiliar to even him came out of his mouth, breathless and scared but also hopeful and passionate about his devotion. Michael inspected the young man for a moment before nodding. "Alright," he said. "You won't feel anything except a slight tugging. Now, all you have to do is concentrate on her and your love for her. And remember the consequences. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what happens if she accepts seeing as the results always vary. However, they're always blissfully wonderful."

"_Adligo Meus Pectus,_" he incanted.

As he concentrated on the image of Lily and her rapturous expression of delight when she received her gift, James was aware of a tugging sensation in his chest. He felt his chest constrict as if it was resisting, but the resistance quickly fell away as he concentrated on the love that he felt for Lily Evans.

Pulled out of his reverie, James found himself clutching a small wrapped box with Parker nowhere to be seen. Remus was still reprimanding him with a slightly hysterical edge to his voice.

"It's going to be fine, Moony," reassured James. "You'll see."

Lapsing into another trance-like state, he left Remus with a worried expression upon his face. As they navigated their way towards Zonko's, he was lost in thought about possible situations of when Lily received her gift. Not one of them involved her rejecting him.

As they arrived in front of the large joke shop, the two entered the cramped quarters, looking for their other friends. As the two young men scanned the crowd for a sign of Sirius' head of black hair a small voice sounded out from behind them.

"Um, Remus?" said a small but clear voice. "Can we talk?"

Both wizards turned around to see Lily Evans standing behind them, one hand planted firmly on her hip. She looked expectantly at the werewolf and gestured for him to follow her.

Remus mouthed 'Find Sirius, I'll tell you later' to a bewildered James before slipping away into the crowd. The annoyed Chaser craned his neck to catch sight of Remus before giving up in exasperation. Remus was the master of disguise and blending in with the crowds. In a way he was a brilliant actor and a good candidate for spying on Severus Snape.

Turning around, he continued his search for Sirius and Peter. They were soon located near a display of dungbombs, murmuring about the ridiculous price increase of a 3-pack box. James tapped them both lightly on the shoulder, motioning for them to leave the store. Peter looked rather confused as he hadn't made any purchases yet, but stuffed the remains of his roll and sausage into his mouth while heading outside.

Sirius didn't go immediately, preferring to scrutinize James' oddly elated expression with a gaze of curiosity. As he noticed his friend's motions becoming more and more exasperated he finally pushed his way through the packed crowd with the raven-haired young man following close behind.

They found Remus sitting on a bench under a great oak tree with Peter beside him. All around the wooden seat were splashes of golden color that signified the quickly approaching season of winter. Peter was nibbling at his warm apple pie while Remus picked rather half-heartedly at his roll and sausage.

James slid into the seat next to Remus while Sirius squeezed in between Peter and the bothered werewolf. For a moment, no one spoke, but finally James threw up his hands in exasperation. "What did she want?" he asked with a poorly concealed tone of curiosity and hope.

Remus looked away and examined the dirt beneath his loafers. "Nothing, she just wanted to know if our Transfiguration project was ready to be combined yet," he said in an apologetic tone. "She didn't ask about you James. Sorry…"

He ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh of frustration. "Why?" he moaned. "Why doesn't she like me? Well, at least why does she hate me so?"

"Sorry mate," Sirius said with a shrug. "She thinks you're conceited, and you know how girls are with guys that they think are egotistical jerks."

With that comment, James looked up with a fiery determination burning within his determined brown eyes. "She'll accept it," he said fiercely. "I know she will. Lily is too sweet to hurt someone like that."

Leaving Sirius and Peter in confusion, James swept off towards Hogwarts, intending on doing some reading when he got back to the Gryffindor tower.

Two sets of eyes immediately fell upon Remus who was still poking at his roll and sausage. "What?" he snapped.

They immediately fell upon him, pressing the poor werewolf for details of what happened at the jewelry shop. Soon after the story had run its course, only Sirius could summon a single word to sum up their feelings.

"Shit."

**Gryffindor Tower – 7:00 A.M.**

Lily had decided to forsake the Hogsmeade trip due to the dampening ever-present James Potter. With a sigh, she flung herself onto her bed, flinging her cloak onto a nearby armchair. The girl's dormitory was better furnished that the boy's dormitory, mainly because the female population had decorated it over the years while the boys had neglected their sleeping area.

The red-haired girl stared up at the red-orange hued sky. She and several other students had managed to successfully charm the ceiling to operate like the Great Hall's ceiling. At the moment, tints of blue and purple were receding as clouds were bathed in the warm glow of a rising sun.

The sun itself was a globe of fiery orange and red, brilliantly shining in the far corner of the room. However, it did not give off any light and thus the only illumination in the room came from various bedsteads where girls were reading by lamplight.

She rolled over and stared out the wall enchanted to be see-through. Outside the sun was starting to rise and more and more Hogwarts students could be spotted walking across the grounds towards Hogsmeade. Several others were to be seen heading down to the Great Hall for some breakfast.

Lily sighed again and got up off of her bed. Her roommates were still reading so she decided not to jolt her friends out of the world that books spun around a reader. Peeking at a title, she saw Alice was poring over a romance novel. Lily smiled lightly as she new the pretty sixth year craved a serious relationship, not summertime flings that the boys her age preferred.

Luckily, Alice didn't need to worry. A rather shy Gryffindor already had his eye on the sweet girl. What was his name? Frank? Frank… Longbottom…

However, her musings were interrupted as Alice had set down her book and was now sitting on her bed, facing Lily. "Oh! What are you doing here?" she asked in a pleasantly surprised tone.

Lily smiled. "I opted to go for my old bed," she explained. "The Head Girl dormitory is rather lonely sometimes."

The witch looked delighted at the prospect of her best friend staying around for a while. "It's been so long since you've decided to stay here!" she squealed. "We'll throw a party tonight! I'm sure that Molly and that transfer student, Xiu Chang, will be thrilled. We could stay up and play games all night!"

The red-headed witch couldn't help but smile. This was a side of Alice that boys rarely got to see, an energetic, bubbling, and enthusiastic girl who adored her friends and loved to party.

"Come on Lils," she said. "It'll be fun!"

"Fine, fine," she laughed. "You always get your way, Ally!"

With a playful smirk, Lily grabbed a random book off of her small bedside library and headed towards the door. "I'll be in the Common Room if you need me," she called back.

With a click of the large wooden door, Lily already felt more light-hearted. Being around her friends lifted any weight she felt upon her and exposed the fun-loving little girl that often lay forgotten in her heart. She smiled as she thought of here childhood days and how she had always loved to swing and feel the breeze upon her face as she flew through the air. She didn't hate boys, she loved freedom.

She shook her head as that random thought had come to mind. With a slightly puzzled expression, she took the stairs two at a time and headed down the corridor towards the Common Room.

The Gryffindor Common Room was a masterpiece of scarlet and gold, both bold and noble colors that accentuated the dark mahogany wood that made up the floorboards. Comfortable furniture was scattered around the room, but ultimately formed a circle. Chairs and tables were artfully edged in gold design with scarlet material, occasionally decorated with gold thread, was used for the cloth and rugs.

A cheery blaze was lit in the spacious fireplace and the room was deserted as some students had not woken up yet while others were at Hogsmeade or eating breakfast. Lily curled up in front of the fireplace, lounging on the two-seater couch as she stretched a little before opening her book.

It was a small book on poems by a muggle poet, Robert Frost. Lily sighed contentedly as all other problems were forgotten as soon as she dove into her reading. Soon enough, she was walking through a world of golden beauty and icy wonders as the words on the paper wove a world for her, and her alone, to revel in and enjoy. Outside the arched windows, several snowflakes began to fall, slowly accumulating on the ground as a soft blanket of crisp white beauty. Peace reigned over the mind of Lily Evans and the grounds of Hogwarts.

**Author's Note**

_Oooh! This is my second fic, and if you didn't know, I'm writing another Fanfic entitled _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love._ It's a DHr shipper that is completely AU and set three years after the Trio's graduation. Voldemort has not yet been defeated and is trying to unleash a legendary power as Hermione, Draco, Ron, Harry, and Ginny fight to bring down his reign of evil. Please read if you like DHr fics, and even if you don't, try it!_

_Alright, this chapter was put down to establish the setting and the characters. If you haven't realized yet, Alice is Alice Longbottom, Xiu Chang is the mother of Cho Chang, and Molly is Mrs. Weasly. I believe they're about al the same age, but I put Alice in her 6th year so that she can be a confidante when trouble begins to stir later on._

_Alright, read and review! You know the drill! Enjoy._


	3. Chapter 2: An Angel of Flames

James entered the Gryffindor Tower feeling oddly subdued as soon as he was away from his rambunctious and quarrelsome friends. The stillness of the warm air leant a sense of humble tranquility to his demeanor and his usual proud footfalls were reduced to the silent steps of a content man. His senses were painfully alert of his surroundings as he let his façade fall and the hissing of the nearby Common Room seemed to be louder than usual.

He expelled the breath he had been holding in the presence of such deafening silence and stood in the darkened hall, pulling off his wet gloves and scarf. Nimble fingers that served him well in Quidditch quickly unfastened the broach at his neck and the forest green cloak slid off of his shoulders.

A plain black shirt slowly came into view as the voluminous folds of the cloak gave way and slipped into his hands. It was made of fine material but practical for school use and not flashy like velvet of silk. His slacks were not an immaculate white color that suited formal balls, but instead were an imperfect hue of the former, giving it a natural beige color.

James could feel the slight chill coming from an open window, but the fresh breeze was a welcome contrast against the warmth of the inside. Banishing his cloak and wet things to his room, the Gryffindor stepped out of the cover of the portrait hole and into the Common Room.

Sitting upon the couch was Lily, lost in her book and elaborate vision of rosy apples and the spicy warmth of a cider-press that had been woven by the magic of literature. Her emerald eyes were fixed upon the delicate paper and shone with an inner delight as she reveled in the spidery-like markings that seemed to hold her in a world of their own.

Her flaming hair settled peacefully on the rich redness of the couch and held dominance over it, as if its superior shine and vibrancy contributed to its rank. She was wearing something new – a deep green shirt edged in gold at the tips of its sleeves and neckline that set off the illuminating brilliance of her eyes. Burnished gold hoop earrings swayed slightly in the breeze coming from the window, letting the smooth surfaces catch the roaring glow of the fireplace and reflecting it to display patterns of light.

The raven-haired wizard's breath caught in his throat at the sight of a side of the lioness Lily that he had never seen before. His fingers flew unconsciously to his pocket where a small box leant comfort to him in the presence of such a raw type of magnificence.

For a moment, all feeling in his body had fled with its tail between its legs, awed and cowed by the angel that it had just witnessed. It was also driven away partly by the fury of her attack that would be inevitable once he accidentally disturbed the peace that held her very soul of contentment stable.

His heart was hammering madly and he felt possessed as the urge to present Lily with a token of his feelings became more insistent. His head was muddled and confused, overcome with the flood of hormones and the absence of his formerly calm demeanor. His blood boiled thick and fast as generations of Gryffindor heritage roared at him to charge forth without a thought or regard to the consequences.

He quickly drew his hand away from the accursed jewelry box, his breathing slowing to settle in its usual quiet rhythm. Unconsciously, he brought his hand up to steady the hammering beating of his heart and waited in the shadowy recesses of the room as his body began to fall back into its normal routine.

James slipped out of the Common Room as silently as he had come in, leaving Lily undisturbed and the diamond pendant still snugly settled in the deep folds of his pocket. As he made the right turn into his dormitory that he shared with Remus, Sirius, and Peter, the raven-haired young man felt a twinge of guilt in his mind. The beautiful jewelry he had vowed to present to the target of his affections had been pushed aside in his fear.

Flinging himself onto the navy blue sheets, already rumpled from a night of sleeping, James let his head rest against the smooth fabric of his plump pillow. He turned his head so that he would be facing the small decorative window and let out a sigh, watching as the warm air misted upon the cold window pane.

"_What kind of Gryffindor am I?_" he thought bitterly. "_What courage do I possess other than that to run away from the woman I love?_"

"_The courage to correct what is wrong,_" chided a soothing voice.

The young wizard started and his eyes flickered around the room, checking for a student. It was no prank – the lilting voice that sounded within his mind was somewhat like his conscience. The sound had been rich like melted chocolate and sweet as a summer rose, however, it lacked the musical richness of Lily's melodic tones. The strangest of all was that the voice was feminine.

Pushing away the odd circumstances, the distressed young man traced the frosted area with a light finger, forming a crude likeness of a pair of angelic wings. Pausing for a moment, James let his finger hover in midair before bringing it down to the cold surface. A faint smile graced his lips and he drew in a flame between the wings.

"_A flaming creature of the heavens_," he thought wryly. "_Who would've imagined that?_"

"_You._"

He looked slightly startled as the second "appearance" of the voice came in laced with sarcasm and a slight trace of humor. Muttering incomprehensibly under his breath, James sat up in the pile of tangled sheets and shook his head rather forcefully. Perhaps he was hallucinating from all of the stress that he'd encountered that morning.

Growling in frustration, he leaned his forehead against the window, inviting the tingling sensation as the heat of his skin was hungrily taken by the cold. Within moments, his forehead was void of any feeling as the numbness took over, leaving his mind lost in thought once more.

Even though each string of thought was mulled over and tossed aside without a care in the world, the unorganized wizard seemed to extract some sort of information from it. As each train of thought was abruptly cut off, he would start another that was closely related, even though not quite relevant. After some time of the bizarre thinking method, James had reached a conclusion from such a twisted and convulted path that someone examining his memory of the occasion would have no luck of following.

"Prongs!" exclaimed Sirius, coming in with a loud bang as the dormitory door swung to and fro with the force of his entry. "We thought that we'd lost you mate!"

The resolution that had begun forming in the young man's mind was hastily completed and set aside carefully. He plastered a slightly cheerful smile upon his face and turned around to see his friend bounding towards him like an overly excited dog.

James chuckled slightly at the rather apt simile seeing as Sirius' Animagus form was a Grim-like dog. "Come on now, you mangy mutt," he called playfully, his mood completely freshened. "Would I really leave you all to take my share of the Honeydukes haul?"

A brash laugh echoed slightly within the high-ceilinged room that reflected the darkly handsome man's personality. "We would never do such a thing!" he cried, clutching at his heart as if wounded grievously.

Then, he tackled his raven-haired friend with the element of surprise on his side. His eyes glinted thoughtfully as he looked down at James' struggling form. "We'd probably split your share of the Zonko's haul though," he added thoughtfully.

Renewing his attack with good-humored vigor, James and Sirius soon were locked in a mock-tussle upon the midnight blue carpeting of the room. However, as each realized that James' speed and Sirius' larger frame rendered them equally matched opponents, the game was given up in good earnest.

"You're not that small first year anymore," laughed Sirius, breathing a little heavily but managing to look wistful.

His friend quickly punched him in the shoulder with a flippant wave of his free hand. "Good to know that we're not losing our arrogant mutt," he shot back with a grin.

"We're even now, you good-for-nothing flea-bitten horse," the young Black retorted, pulling himself up out off the tangled mess of his legs, James' long limbs, forgotten pillows, and twisted sheets.

"I'll get you for that later," he muttered, clearly unhappy about having to end their argument of insults. "For now, I'll settle with a bite of breakfast. Those sausages were pretty good, but they're not good enough of a replacement for Hogwarts cuisine."

"Pete and Remus are waiting in the Main Hall," he supplied while bending down to retrieve the black cloak that he'd flung aside during his dramatic entrance. "We'll grab a bite to eat and head back to Hogsmeade for a bit of Christmas shopping."

Groaning good-naturedly, James let himself be dragged out of the dim dormitory, only allowed to sidetrack and pick up a new set of gloves and a thick Gryffindor scarf. His cloak was easily picked up off of the rack that it had been automatically transported. Even though there was no time to search for a cloak pin of any sort with the pace Sirius was setting, the young man opted for a slightly altered Sticking Charm.

The two reached their friends in record time, making daring leaps from each moving staircase to the next and speeding down the decorated hallways at a breakneck speed, barely avoiding their fellow students and "accidentally" bumping into any Slytherin they managed to encounter.

Remus cracked a smile at the sight of Sirius flying down the stairs with James in tow who was desperately trying to put on his woolens. "Easy there, Padfoot," he said solemnly, his eyes and broad smile revealing his true feelings. "Give him a second to catch his breath and a few hours for him to rearrange his hair and clothes."

James rearranged his features into a half-hearted scowl as he untangled himself from the flying ends of the gold and crimson striped scarf. "Let's go to breakfast," he suggested. "I heard that they've begun to serve Christmas treats in the morning with the holidays so close."

Settling down at their usual spot in the very center of the Gryffindor Table, the four lapsed into a comfortable conversation about what they had planned for the holidays. Remus was embarking on a visit to Italy where he would get a chance to sight-see and meet several of his maternal relatives. Peter was planning on a quiet Christmas at home before joining up with his werewolf friend two days after the holiday of giving. Sirius and James were spending their customary holiday together at the Potter mansion where there were Christmas festivities and balls every other night.

"It'll be dull," remarked the black haired wizard. "But we'll figure out how to have fun without ruining my mum's reputation."

"Agreed," Sirius replied with a feverent nod. "Your mom makes the best eggnog I've ever tasted, even though most of the stuff I've had is the vile drink Kreacher mixes up for our traditional Christmas toast."

"So we'll exchange Christmas gifts in two days, before we leave?" suggested Peter, digging his fork into a generously iced piece of rich fruitcake.

"Whatever time is fine with me," Remus replied airily with a hint of a smirk. "I've got all of my presents in order."

James snorted, grabbing a slice of layered sponge cake soaked in sherry as the platter was passed from student to student. "Of course," he said, rolling his eyes and taking great care to stab at the sweet morsel as if it had done him a great personal wrong. "We hail your superior planning skills, O mighty Moony."

"About time," the werewolf remarked off-handedly. "I was beginning to think that you all had forgotten how on earth you'd scraped a passing grade in Potions."

Peter looked up, half-way through a mug of rich eggnog. "Wha…?"

Remus looked patiently at him, watching as the small bodied young man hastily gulped down the last of the froth and wiped his mouth on a scarlet napkin before continuing. "Wolfsbane Potion," he answered simply. "What single ingredient negates all effects?"

They soon lapsed into a comfortable silence as the Marauders quickly crammed the lasts tidbits of Christmas treats into their mouths. A day full of shopping wasn't a pleasing idea, but their skill at procrastinating had left them no other chance. It was either go shopping or show up at home or a friend of family's house with no gifts to offer on a day of giving.

"Let's go," Sirius finally announced, sliding off of the wooden bench. "We've got quite a way to go since it started snowing. We best get started now while everyone is still getting here to grab some breakfast."

They all rose without a complaint except for Peter who had attempted to stuff a burning hot savory sausage into his mouth. The unfortunate decision had left him with a singed tongue to remind him to not eat chipolatas in a single mouthful.

They set off at a good speed, and the village soon came into sight after fifteen minutes of rather brisk walking. As they saw that Hogsmeade was far from crowded yet, the Marauders instinctively slowed their pace and took in the shining brilliance of the snow.

Suddenly, Sirius swooped down and grabbed a handful of snow between his gloved fingers and packed it tightly with several quick compressions. He took aim and threw the snowball at James whose reflexes kicked in and caught the icy missile. A feral light danced in his eyes as he whirled around and smashed the snow in Remus' startled face.

"This is war, Potter!" cried the werewolf, cutting a rather absurd figure with snow nagging off of his nose and plastered around his mouth.

Soon, the four were exchanging icy snowballs, targeting each other with practiced ease and generally making noise and having a ball. With the missiles hurling through the air, it was impossible to dodge or catch all of them. Sirius soon exchanged his long black hair for the white color of an old man while James' forest green cloak resembled a slab of snow more than anything else. Peter, due to his small frame, looked like a slightly thawed snowman that had been outside in the sun for too long. Only Remus had escaped without much damage with a few snowballs to his tan shirt and pale slacks.

"I call a truce!" James laughed, waving his cloak around like a large white banner.

Throwing themselves down in the snow, they laughed in relief as the assault of the hard snowballs ceased and the war zone had slowly regained its formerly peaceful air. Sitting up, Remus waved his wand in a complex pattern and a hot jet of air shot out of its tip. Soon, their clothes had dried somewhat, and they made their way down the cobblestone roads of Hogsmeade.

"How about we stop by Honeydukes first?" Sirius suggested, whistling a merry Christmas tune.

The four entered the cottage-like store, overflowing with various sweets displayed in large glass jars and containers of every shape in size. Although it was one of their favorite store, the Marauders knew only to replenish their stocks of candy rather than spend time browsing when they could always sneak in through the trapdoor in the basement.

They exited shortly, their pockets a tad lighter and arms laden with see-through bags and countless gift-wrapped boxes of sherbet lemons, creamy chunks of nougat, toffees, Honeydukes chocolates, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and countless other delicious sweets.

"So my mum's covered," James said, thinking aloud as he checked off gifts on a mental checklist. "There's that new 60-pack assorted Honeydukes chocolate for her and my dad will love the new types of toffees they've just released."

"It'll be fine," Remus assured his harried friend. "You've also got that stationary set that you bought in Diagon Alley for your dad and that Christmas gown for your mum is more than enough."

Sirius pulled a rather worn piece of parchment out of his pocket and examined it carefully. "I've got Pepper Imps for your da – he'll get a kick out of those – and some Drooble's for your mum. I know they're the fun-loving sort so I'm also including a package of Honeydukes assorted wizarding candies for them," he announced. "They're plain, but it's the thought that counts or whatever – right?"

Peter smiled, awkwardly gesturing towards the towering pile of wrapped boxes in his arms. "The only thing my family loves more than candy is trimming the Christmas tree. That's all we give during the holidays – candy. But I'll have to pick up some things for Remus' parents since they've invited me for the remainder of the break."

Remus gave them all a benign smile and James rolled his eyes. "We know that you're done shopping," he grumbled, shifting under the weight of his packages.

"And keep that in mind as a good bit of advice too," he said with a smirk. "Now, let's head off to Dervish and Banges, they're bound to have something good."

Making rounds about the quaint village, the friends picked up various presents for their family and friends as well as little gadgets and trifles that forced them to part with several Sickles. In the end, they had finished with time to spare before dinner began.

"We've already had our snow fight," yawned Peter. "What now?"

Sirius looked uninterested as snowballs whizzed by their stiff forms as they trudged back up to the castle. "You're right, Pete," he sighed. "We'll just have to have to pass time with some wizarding chess. I think I have my da's board stashed in my trunk. I haven't played for a while, but is anyone up to the challenge?"

James declined the offer, and went his separate way, leaving his friends as they crowded around the marble set and maneuvered shouting bishops and knights around the board while trying to ignore the bad advice the pieces were giving.

In his pocket, he could almost feel the diamond pendant burning a hole through the soft material and he sighed. Stopping in a dark corner of the hallway, he fished out the crimson box and opened it carefully.

Nestled in a bed of black silk lay the exquisite piece as it caught every possible ray of light and reflected them off onto its surroundings in an astounding array of colors. He looked at it curiously, noticing that the white aura had stopped pulsing but had been replaced by an unwavering pure white glow. That had been the effect of his soul binding ritual. The gem now seemed to be perfect in every aspect. James closed the box, satisfied.

Suddenly, he could feel a thought worming its way into his head. It was the quickly completed resolution he had made hours before. _I will exchange beauty for beauty before dinner tonight_.

**Author's Notes**

_Since no one really reviewed, I made this chapter really short. See? Just a few more reviews and I would have typed two or three more pages to this story and you would have the scene where James givens Lily the pendant at your disposal. I'm sorry to say, but I'm highly disappointed that some of you are willing to put me on your Author's Alerts list, but don't think enough of my story to leave a comment to show your acknowledgment of my work._

_I'm sorry if I come off bitter and ungrateful, but I've waited for a while and I only have a single review to show as appreciation for my work. My time is limited, and the number of faithful reviewers I have is what pushes me to update sooner. Some of you may have noticed this in _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love

_Anyway, since barely anyone reviews, I'll be waiting for at least five reviews from different people before I update again. I know it probably sounds harsh, but if you put yourself in my shoes, it seems quite sensible. Why write a story if no one bothers to thank you for your efforts?_

_Lastly, I give my utmost thanks to the only review I got. This chapter has been posted thanks to you, moonyizmine. Had you not reviewed, I would have abandoned this story, no matter how tempting the idea of it was in the beginning._


	4. Chapter 3: Yuletide Happenings

It was dark – darker than ever before, but James couldn't help but be comforted by the blanket-like effects of the smooth blackness. It smothered his anxiety by enveloping his head in the all too familiar vortex of nothingness and stilled his pounding heart.

It was almost time for dinner – that much he knew as Gryffindors could be heard clattering about above and around him as they stripped off wet things to don fresh, warm clothes for the feast.

The dark-haired wizard lay on his back, staring at the ceiling that he knew was seven or so feet above him. It was such a simple fact, but so unfailing and resolute, like the consolation that all living things were fated to pass on one day. Such a blatant truth comforted him enough to ease the tremors within his soul that doubted his every move.

To err was human, but was he truly human? Did the magic that ran thick and fast within his veins make him some sort of otherworldly creature? Did his undying sense of doubt make him lesser or more than the race of humans? Was the beating of his heart a sign of the life that blossomed in his body, or a ticking clock that waited for the day he took his last breath?

He had unconsciously slipped his hand into the deep folds of his pocket minutes before, as his mind lay in perpetual disarray. His normally active fingers lay still and listless upon the ivory silk that covered the wooden box - the box that contained the key to his very soul and future sanity. What was love to him?

How could you know what love truly was? The emotion had brought the mightiest kingdoms to their knees, and raised the impenetrable fortresses of empires as well. James was dimly aware of the receding sound of excited chatter, warmed by the closeness of the holidays. His fingers tightened around the curved edges of the jewelry case.

Could he stake his very future in the hands of a girl that he had never held in his arms before? The very idea of what she could do to him with a single thrust, a single chilling word caused him to shiver. He was powerless in a world driven by the caprices of Fate, only slightly cushioned in his falls by Hope. Could he count on the volatile entities for a safe venture once more?

The raven-haired young man rolled over on to his stomach, his hand and the jewelry box coming out of his pocket to cradle a whirling mind and head. He could only go forth and hope for the best. Perhaps that was all he could ask for. The best. The phrase echoed in his mind, hauntingly familiar but taunting his frayed nerves as it bounced around, whirling in unceasing circles and patterns.

**Flashbacks**

_A young boy stood in the leafy shadows of the towering apple trees. His older cousin floated near him, legs thrown across a small Cleansweep broom. The mocking features of Christopher were seared into his mind. His small nose was dusted with sandy brown freckles, and his eyes were narrowed tauntingly in young James' direction. Small red lips were pursed in the silent taunt 'I dare you'. He could only feel the redness of anger as his emotions took over. Blackness overwhelmed his senses soon, and he could only feel the crushing agony of a broken arm._

_A small dark-haired boy of eleven or twelve years sat in the bustling reception area of St. Mungo's. His eyes seemed to have stuck in a crossed position, causing James to cry in pain, begging the blurry images of his parents to fix it, promising never to try and test out spells he had never learned before._

_Red hot pain lanced through his skull, and the young man felt bone begin to emerge from his head, compressing his features and sending rivulets of tears down his cheeks. His hands had been painfully bound together, morphing into the shiny black hooves of a majestic stag. Fur seemed to blanket his body as it stretched to its limits, testing the transformation for the first time ever. Only his face remained human, his brain receiving the pounding messages of hurt that indicated his failed attempt at morphing._

_A new vision overtook his mind, but it was not the scene of the past, but rather of something he had never seen before – the possibility of a future event. An attractive young woman stood at a raised altar, her flaming red locks of hair graced by an elegant tiara. A smile lingered on her rose-red lips, and her flawlessly pale skin accented by a breathtaking gown of snow white fabric, dotted with priceless emeralds. However, the man standing next to her was faceless when James' mind looked upon the scene, his identity a mystery to be uncovered in several years' time._

**End of Flashbacks**

James shot straight up, off of the bed, breathing rather heavily. The last vision had been unnerving, seeing Lily giving her hand in marriage to a faceless man, making the possibilities of her groom wider than ever before.

His Gryffindor loyalty and instinct to rush into actions seemed almost overpowering to the small part of his mind devoted to logic. He absently flipped open the top to the jewelry box to reveal the gleaming pendant. However, instead of seeing the dark bed of black silk it rested upon, the young man could only picture Lily in her wedding finery with the diamond resting upon her light skin.

Snapping the wooden case shut with unnecessary force, James quickly rummaged around in his closet for a fresh shirt. He soon found a crisp white shirt, only marred by several wrinkles along the cuffs. Casting his old clothing away, he donned the slightly formal wear and examined himself in the mirror rather critically. The white gave his hair a proper contrast, but he could need a new pair of slacks that weren't a tint of the same color. A pair of pearl-gray pants soon joined the ensemble before the critical Gryffindor finally deemed his image good enough.

Walking rather briskly out of his dorm, the young man checked the Common Room to see that Lily had left the couch for dinner already. Cursing silently for waiting so long, he burst out of the Gryffindor Tower with such force, that he left the Fat Lady grumbling to her neighboring portraits about insolent seventh years.

His normally calm brown eyes darted from side to side as he set down the long corridor leading to the Great Hall at a jog. "The only bloody day that I'm late for dinner," he muttered fiercely, "and Lily decides that _she_ won't be late for Merlin knows what reason."

His furtive glances around at his surroundings surprisingly paid off, as he spotted the target of his affections bidding her friend to go on to the feast before her as she stooped down to fix a buckle on the white heels that she was wearing.

Dangling silver earrings hung off of her earlobes, catching the torchlight and reflecting it off in magnified slivers of its original shape and size. She had obviously put some effort into her appearance for the last feast and ball before the holidays, and was wearing a shimmering pink blush off-shoulder gown.

The silky material fitted tightly against her skin until her elbows, bordered with an intricate silver design. The bodice of the gown was seemed to act as a second skin, tapering at her narrow waist and flaring out in a style that would be best suited for dancing. Her emerald green eyes were narrowed in concentration as she bent down slightly, trying to fix her buckle, locks of auburn-streaked red hair falling down past her face.

For a moment, he seemed cowed by her elegant appearance, but the haunting image of her wedding the faceless man clouded his thoughts. "_That man will be me_," he thought fiercely, striding over in her direction.

**Lily**

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the athletic form of James Potter stepping towards her with an almost unnatural gleam of determination in his warm honey-brown eyes. She silently cursed herself and the damned buckle she had been trying to fix and stood up, smoothing out the front of her gown.

"Mr. Potter," she said, plastering a small smile on her glossed lips, "fancy meeting you here. I was informed by your friends that you wouldn't be attending the Yule Ball."

His eyes seemed to flash with slight surprise at her cordial tone. "Actually, I was wondering if I could have a moment alone with you, Lily," he said, looking a tad uncomfortable.

She sighed mentally and walked a few steps to reduce the lengthy area between them. "I am yours, Mr. Potter, until the feat begins," she said, not wishing to leave anyone in bad spirits for the holidays.

"I have something for you," he continued, seeing to stare at her fashionably bare neck. "I got it for you in Hogsmeade."

Without waiting to see her initial reaction, he drew the white box out of his pocket and set it gently in her hands. Lily stared at the small case with wide eyes as possible ideas of what it contained raced through her mind. Was it some vicious prank? Was he truly sincere about his infatuation with her? She had always assumed that it was simply childish lust when he has asked her out seven years before, but his propositions and small advances had never ceased.

Now, in her hand, she held something that was obvious causing him great worry. What could it be? However, since she had left her wand next to her bed, having nowhere to put it during the ball, Lily had no choice but to open it.

She gently pried open the lid, almost flinching when the spring caused the lid to snap open at her touch. Nestled upon its bed of black silk, she saw the small diamond pendant, glowing against its soft background, beckoning to her and appealing to her heart to accept the young man's token.

"It's beautiful," she admitted, tearing her eyes away from the radiance. "But I'm afraid I can't accept something so valuable from someone I hardly know."

With her soft spoken words, she gently shut the lid and slipped it back into his unknowingly outstretched hand.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, turning away and hurrying into the Great Hall.

**Sirius**

The darkly handsome young man let loose a rough bark of laughter as Peter tried to gorge himself upon the hot Christmas pudding they had and ended up spitting out the hot mass of dried fruit cake mixture and brandy.

"Blimey, mate!" he exclaimed in thundering tones. "Slow down there!"

Peter flushed slightly and inconspicuously vanished the offending mouthful of half-digested food. "I can't help it if my parents don't serve traditional British stuff on Christmas," he grumbled, trying to cover for his embarrassment.

Remus looked up from his fruitcake to give the two a cross look. "I know it's almost Christmas, but you two don't have to argue over how much Christmas pudding one should consume at once," he grumbled, trying to evenly split his attention among his cake, friends, and book.

Sirius shrugged and took a swig of pumpkin juice. "We're not arguing, I was just pointing it out. What's wrong with you? We're just having fun anyway," he retorted, feeling rather defensive.

The werewolf simply shrugged, putting down the abandoned Transfiguration textbook. "I'm just edgy because I'm going to go and meet relatives I've never met before. What will they expect of me? Everyone is already uncomfortable around me because of my… condition," he replied, his tone not inviting any further questions.

The three Marauders lapsed into an uncomfortable silence at the off-handed comment about Remus' lycanthropy. It had always been a delicate topic with the friends, and they all knew how sensitive the young Marauder was about people treating him like a monster when they learned of it.

"So," Sirius started uneasily, clearing his throat a little too noisily, "have you guys seen James since he ran off earlier?"

Remus shook his head, a frown creasing his features. "No, I haven't seen him since you pulled out that chessboard," he admitted.

"I heard him muttering about difficult choices when he passed by," added Peter eagerly.

The werewolf and the Black heir exchanged a worried glance. "Do you suppose he went ahead and gave Lily the pendant?" asked Remus, looking rather nervous.

Sirius' frown deepened. "We can only hope that he hasn't," he said, stating the thought that was clouding everyone's thoughts. "Can you see Lily anywhere? If he doesn't show before the dancing starts, we'll go look for him."

Peter frowned as he helped himself to a generous amount of trifle. "Isn't that half-veela Rêve going to be mad at you for ditching her?" he asked, his tone betraying his hesitancy.

The wizard heir waved away the obvious implication of him being the target of a girl's anger. "It's a one night date," he said coolly. "Finding James is more important than dancing with a girl that's not even my girlfriend."

The mousy young man looked dubiously at his friend. "Whatever you say," he muttered. "I still think that she's going to be furious."

Remus gave the small-bodied wizard a pointed glare. "Do you need any more information?" he asked crossly. "Sirius doesn't care and Rêve will survive one ball without him. James is the focal point here."

The wizard being berated twitched his nose slightly in annoyance at the double-teaming. "Alright," he sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I just don't want Sirius to get mobbed tomorrow before we leave for the holidays, considering how many fans Rêve has."

The werewolf gave a small chuckle of dry humor. "Wonderful, then they can do battle with Sirius' fans."

**James**

As he watched the retreating form of Lily Evans, his fist closed around the pendant she had rejected so carefully. Its aura was dimming slowly but steadily as the whiteness diminished into nothing. Within the very core of his body, James could feel a wrenching pain.

Falling to his knees, he let go of the beautiful necklace, his eyes open but unseeing, not noticing as the sparkling gem rolled off into the enveloping darkness of an abandoned corridor. His heart seemed to constrict painfully, squeezing out his ability to feel happiness and to enjoy the pleasures of life.

As the destructive magic ran its course through his body, James drew his legs up to his chest, hugging them close with his eyes screwed shut. His mind was a jumble of pain, shock, and overwhelming sadness.

The memory of Lily staring into his eyes flashed across his range of vision, her emerald green orbs betraying kindness and a small degree of concern. Her earrings glittered painfully as they swung to and fro as she turned around to leave. He could almost imagine how it would have felt to caress those thick locks of hair and to slide his hand down to clasp her small warm ones.

The crushing memory filled his heart with a dense fog of confusion and a sense of utter betrayal. His very soul seemed to absorb the sadness, packing it away as it eagerly received the emotion, trying to make up for the great hole that had been created.

Even though he seemed to be in a daze, James was painfully alert and aware of the overwhelming sense of melancholy that washed through his body. He could barely feel the receding memories of calm and love that had so often overtaken his mind whenever Lily appeared. Thoughts and dreams of holding her in his arms were dissipating as well, leaving the dark-haired wizard an empty shell compared to his previously passionate self.

**Remus**

The plainly clothed young man glanced at his wizarding watch for what seemed to be the tenth time in the past five minutes. "Come on, you two," he urged, looking rather agitated as he paced around. "The ball is going to start in ten minutes; we might as well go out early to look for him."

Sirius quickly drained his goblet and wiped his mouth on a crimson napkin of thick material that seemed to be cotton. "Coming," he announced, jumping off of the bench.

Peter quickly stood, grabbing a turnover as he went. "Where do you think he'll be?" he asked, nibbling at the flaky cover.

"No clue," Sirius replied shortly, setting a rather brisk pace.

Remus kept up with the moody wizard with long, easy strides, leaving Pettigrew to jog after them upon rather chubby legs. Before long, they had traced the route from the Great Hall to the Gryffindor Tower without a clue of where their brown-eyed friend could be.

"Do you reckon we should go over this path once more?" suggested the handsome youth.

"No harm in doing that," said Remus, his tone rather wheezy with worry. "But I just wish we…"

Eyes lighting up, the werewolf dashed up to the seventh year boy's dormitory and came back with a parchment hastily stuffed into his pocket. "Come on, let's take the corridor down there," he said, his breath slightly off from running so quickly.

The three hurried over to the aforementioned corridor, and Remus quickly unrolled the parchment he had retrieved. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he intoned, waving his wand over the battered paper.

Ink swirled about as soon as the password had been spoken, and the complex lines of the Hogwarts corridors were quickly drawn out and labeled dots could be seen scattered about the school.

"James, where are you?" muttered Black.

Suddenly Remus' keen eyesight picked out the dot labeled 'Potter, James' that had begun to glow a slightly red color next to the Great Hall and he quickly tapped the parchment and gave the deactivation phrase to wipe the map blank. "Come on!" he said, breaking out in a run towards the place where James had been pinpointed.

His two other friends ran after him, zooming along the corridors with the unfit Peter lagging slightly behind as they leapt down the stairs. Although they nearly bowled over a few Ravenclaws that had left the ball early to get some schoolwork done, the three Marauders sped through the corridors of Hogwarts without major incident.

Sirius was the first to reach his unconscious friend, being the fastest of the three, and let out an involuntary cry of alarm at the sight of James lying on the cold stone floor, hidden by the darkness of the area.

"James!" he barked sharply, hoping that it was another of his friend's pranks. "If you don't snap out of it immediately, I'm going to invite my mother to come with me to your house!"

When the raven-haired young man remained listless after the thinly veiled threat, Sirius whipped out his wand, casting several basic diagnostic charms he had learned as a child in the early wizarding lessons that all pureblooded children were required to have.

"I can't tell what's wrong," he finally announced, leaning back to sit on his haunches. "It's magical – that much I can tell you, but there're no physical injuries except a few sore spots from where he fell."

"Let's take him to Madam Pomfrey," suggested Remus. "We'll have a hard time explaining this, but seeing as it's a magical injury, she won't ask us at least until tomorrow. We'll have a whole night to think of a cover story. Later on, we can use your two-way mirror to tell James what we've come up with."

"Alright," replied Sirius, levitating his friend's still form. "Let's go, I don't exactly relish the idea of going home for Christmas."

The Marauders quickly made their way up the staircase to reach the first floor where the Hospital Wing was located, driven by the thoughts their imaginations had conjured up of the possible mental injuries James could have suffered.

"Goodness, boys," exclaimed a startled Madam Pomfrey. "I thought everyone was enjoying themselves at the Yule Ball!"

"Sorry, ma'm," covered Remus. "Our friend here got caught up in a spell of some sort and it seems like he's going to be out for a bit. We brought him here to see what you could do for him, seeing as tomorrow we leave for the holidays."

The stern matron fussed over her patient, casting several more advanced diagnostic spells than the simple ones Sirius had used minutes before. "Well, boys," she finally said, turning around to face the worried threesome. "I can't promise that he'll be as strong as before, but I can release him tomorrow morning if you promise to take care of him over the holidays. Merlin knows what…"

The Marauders left Madam Pomfrey muttering to herself as they trudged back to their dormitories with heavy hearts, the urge to celebrate the night away completely destroyed.

However, not all minds were focused upon the gloomy prospects of James' injury. Sirius' eyes could be seen gleaming slightly in the darkness, hinting of anger and hurt. However, anyone who knew him well could see the determined line of his mouth, and the frigidness of his air. He absently brushed a short lock of hair away from his face, a small cold smile forming upon his lips.

Sirius Black was out for revenge.

**Author's Notes**

_I'm rather pleased about the results of setting a quota of reviews, since I've never had this many reviews for just one chapter. I must say, when quotas are declared, reviewers snap to attention. _

_I won't set another quota again though, since I don't want to force anyone into doing something they don't want to. Just don't forget to review and remember that the more reviews I get, the more I write and the faster I work. I started this chapter at 1:30 p.m. on _Halloween_ instead of going to my friend's party. It's know 4:20 p.m. and I've been writing for almost three hours straight instead of the usual three and a half to four that it usually takes for me to write a standard chapter._

_Anyway, I realized that I portrayed Peter as a boy with a small frame, even though he was rather chubby. Excuse me for that mistake. I supposed he'll just be small and chubby – that'll do for now. _

_I know that the last bit was probably a bit rough and choppy. I also apologize for that since the closer I get to the end, the more excited I become about posting my chapter and skimming over the Live Preview for any minor errors I may have made. I also need a beta, but I haven't been able to find anyone. If you're good and willing to do the job, stick it in your review. You may also want to give me a brief overview on how betas work too. :heh:_

_Please note that I _will_ continue writing this story, but the update dates probably will be farther apart than the ones for _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love_ since that one is so much more popular. Sorry, but that's the best I can do._

_Thanks to all of the new reviewers and old reviewer!_

_Unfeeling – Original… Thanks, I'm glad that I didn't come off as a total bore. I was almost afraid to ask whether my plot resembled any others. Thank Merlin it didn't. :grins:_

_IcyCrystal – Thanks, and I was only slightly crushed, I think I was more frustrated than anything else. Feeling underappreciated does that to you. Also, I have allowed anonymous reviews, thanks for the tip!_

_FieryPrincessofMars – She's softer as the holidays (Celebrations in this case) draw nearer – she's that kind of person that doesn't want to ruin Christmastime for others. I love Robert Frost, his poems are quite good… :frowns:_

_TearfulSins – No, you didn't review before, but thanks for reviewing now! I'm keeping at it, and thanks for the encouragement. :smiles:_

_rachel pinkthang91 – Thanks, I am going to continue writing it, but the update dates will be farther apart than the ones for _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love_ since that one is in higher demand. Also, it's okay, as long as you eventually review._

_BrightonBaby – Thanks. Poetic? I _was_ aiming for that. :smiles: _


	5. Chapter 4: Stirring Troubles

As the trio reached the Portrait Hole, they found that most Gryffindors had yet to return from the ball. Sirius snorted at the thought. Most likely majority of the Gryffindors who had seized the ball as a chance to ask out their adolescent loves wouldn't be heading back to the Tower any time soon. Unless it was the Astronomy Tower…

Remus raised a light brown eyebrow in curiosity. "What's so funny when James is up in the Hospital Wing with some unknown magical spell tearing out his soul?" he snapped, his anxiety giving him fangs.

"_Fortuna major_," called Sirius, clambering up and over the Portrait Hole that had just been opened. "Nothing much, just the idea of what… _extra_curricular activities some of our House mates may be participating in later on."

Peter yawned slightly. "Right, I'm going to bed," he muttered, rubbing his beady eyes with a slightly grubby fist. "You two can stay up all you want. We've got a Potions essay to hand in first thing tomorrow morning before we leave for the holidays."

The two friends watched as the chubby seventh year walked off towards the boy's dormitory, yawning widely and flexing cramped limbs. Remus regarded the portly retreating form with a small amount of pity. "Never knew exactly _how_ we became friends with him," he remarked idly, flopping down on a squashy armchair. "He seems so cowardly and uninterested in our problems these days."

The dark-haired wizard sank back into a crimson red chair lined with faded gold strips that was placed directly across from Remus'. "I never really knew either," he shrugged.

The werewolf regarded his friend with an odd look. Sirius smiled inwardly at his slightly narrowed eyes and calculating gaze, fighting the urge to laugh as it swept across his masked features. Remus was trying – very hard – to figure out exactly why his mood was so volatile, changing from reminiscent to grumpy and to thoughtful in mere seconds.

"Alright, I give up, mate," he sighed, slumping into his chair in defeat.

The Black heir regarded his lycanthropic friend with fathomless gray eyes before failing to keep the laughter that had been bubbling up inside of him quiet. "Oh sweet Merlin," he choked, his voice still reverberating slightly from the great roar of laughter he had let loose. "You should have seen the look on your face!"

Lupin looked rather irritated. "This is no laughing matter, Sirius," he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "What do I have to say to keep you on task? We need to help James, but he's not going to let us tell the Professors what he so foolishly did to try and win Lily!"

The aristocratic features of the young man lit up with glee. "Now you're talking, Moony!" he said excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "Come with me, I know Peter has taken to sleeping in the other seventh year dorm so its quieter at night, so we can go to our own dorm."

A confused looking Remus Lupin let himself be dragged out of the Common Room and up the cold stone stairs that led to their dormitory. Sirius quickly latched the door that led into the medium-sized room, casting repetitive fire-lighting charms on the torches mounted upon the walls. Soon the slightly cluttered and disorganized sleeping area that the Marauders shared flickered into view.

The brown-haired wizard automatically took his customary spot on top of his smooth bottle-green comforter, sprawling out upon the comfortable mattress. Sirius grabbed the wooden chair next to his friend's bed and took a seat, grabbing some parchment and a quill from Remus' orderly stacks in the process. "There's only one thing to do now," he said, his lips curling into a mysterious smile.

The werewolf snorted, flipping himself around so that he could get proper eye contact with his friend that had begun to scribble down ideas on the parchment so fast that there were a few spots of ink on his clothes. "And what might that be?" he asked sarcastically, unable to keep his annoyance out of his tone.

"Get revenge," he said simply, looking at Remus with a solemn expression.

"Are you barmy?" he exclaimed. "You're thinking of ways to get revenge on Lily, who by the way, had no idea what she was doing, instead of trying to help James?"

"She knew _exactly_ what she was doing, Moony," he argued fiercely. "She's the smartest witch in Gryffindor; she saw the unwavering white aura around the precious stone. How many things could that possibly indicate? She wasn't under the _Imperius_, so everything she does, she's responsible for."

"By Morgana! You don't go around examining everything and determining what might have caused it, Padfoot! It just isn't done. Lily couldn't have possibly known that she was leaving James to his own doom that he had sealed by agreeing to have the spell performed," he said fiercely, slamming his hand down on his comforter for emphasis. "You're missing the focus here! We need to help _James_. Petty revenge doesn't have a place in our timetables right now."

"Petty?" Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow. "Revenge is the carefully exacted art of giving someone a taste of the punishment they deserve. We can't help James, for all we know, he could be under some random spell designed to knock you out of sorts for a few hours. Madam Pomfrey will get it sorted out soon."

The young man watched as his usually sensible friend fought an internal battle. He knew that Remus was far from weak-minded, in fact, he was frighteningly determined when he set his sights on something. However, because of his rather small circle of friends and rather frightening disease, the brown-haired wizard longed to please everyone dear to him in hopes that they wouldn't abandon him one day.

The heir to the Black family fortune knew it was wrong to play with that weak aspect of his friend. It was one of Remus' few faults among his many strengths that lay in the field of Defense against Dark Arts. Sirius felt almost dirty at that moment in time as he watched his friend's face contort into a frown that brought out the dusky sadness in his large eyes.

"Fine," he said shortly. "What do you have so far?"

Thoughts of guilt and self-deprecation vanished as if wiped off the plane of existence as soon as the sounds of assent reached his ears. The black-haired young man shoved the werewolf a stack of parchment that he had tied loosely together with a rather worn piece of string. Written on the topmost sheet were the words "The Marauders' Log" in rather refined lettering.

A wry smile danced upon Lupin's lips. "I never knew you'd actually keep these things," he said dryly, leafing through sheets detailing the Marauders' accomplishments and creations. "James and I had a bet that you would lose everything by our sixth year. I suppose I owe him three Galleons now."

Sirius took several sheets from the desk and waved them in the air. "We need to make adjustments to some of these lists," he said, an excited look upon his features.

Remus leaned over to see the youngest Black scratching out something on the parchment and adding a name to the right hand side of the sheet. The top of the page bore no title and was divided down the page by a slightly crooked line. The left column was labeled "Off Limits" and the right column was titled "Prime Targets".

His eyes widened in surprise. "The prime target column?" he asked rather nervously. "I'm not sure that we need to change that list…"

His dark-haired friend grinned, his pearl white teeth gleaming slightly in the torchlight. "Of course we do," he said idly. "Now, should I put her name above Snivellus'?"

"I'm not sure-"

Remus' protest was cut off by a quick _Silencio_. "Listen well, Moony, because we need to come to an understanding here. Lily is the enemy, she's killed part of James' soul, and if, and only if, she reforms, we'll take her off of the list," he said clearly, ignoring Remus' rather rude gestures. "There's nothing to argue. I know you're friends with Evans, but you're our _best_ friend. Know where your loyalties lie, and don't get them confused when one of your other friends crosses the line."

The werewolf finally grabbed his wand and performed a quick _Finite_ to dispel the Silencing Charm, his face slightly colored. "You don't understand!" he said a bit angrily. "_I_ can't afford to lose any friends. _I'm_ not the one with a fan club."

Sirius brightened up at the last comment. "Say that again," he said, his expression thoughtful.

"I'm not the one with a fan club?" he repeated, his anger forgotten in the light of Padfoot's odd look.

"That's it!" he said, snapping his fingers.

The dark-haired young man turned around and grabbed the quill he had set down earlier and began writing out a small notice with astonished speed. Remus watched in silent curiosity as the youngest Black absently sketched something on the paper, tapping his wand to the inkwell to change its color.

Before long, Sirius picked up the small bit of parchment, a satisfied smile plastered across his face. "Look!" he exclaimed, shoving it under the werewolf's nose. It was a small notice, a rather good impression of the Gryffindor seal artfully placed on the top right hand corner. On the bottom, was the typical signature of the Marauders, a sword emblazoned with the words "Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs". Black's aristocratic handwriting dominated the rest of the page in loopy embellished script.

_To The Hogwarts Students:_

_It is time to band together as a force, to mercilessly prank a certain seventh year girl by the name of Lily Evans. As the Head Girl of Hogwarts, she is required to uphold the laws of the school and administer justice to those who have committed crimes. However, she has not yet punished herself for crushing the very soul of one James Potter._

_Is this justice? Is this the kind of student we want in a position of power among us? Do we really want this tyrant to go around with the authority to punish and no empathy to leash her powers?_

_Join the Marauders to rid this school, or at least severely dirty, the Evans name as a warning to those who try and belittle us. Juvenile, pranks may be, but we do not need to stoop to her level to administer a dose of humiliation and ego-flattening to that deserving witch._

_Description:_

_Boyfriend: None_

_Clubs: The infamous 'Slug Club'_

_Eyes: Green_

_Distinguishing Characteristics: Could be described as "pretty" (Not by the Marauders)_

_Hair: Red hair about two inches past shoulder-length_

_House: Gryffindor_

"Sweet Merlin," Remus breathed. "Y-you're not sending this to all of your fans are you?"

"Even better, even better," smiled Sirius, leaning back in his chair so that the front two legs were off the ground. "I'm giving every one of my fans a _stack_ of these."

The werewolf's face paled considerably. "You didn't even do that for Snivellus," he said quietly. "What makes you think that one accident that Lily makes is worse than years of dueling and exchanging verbal assaults with Severus?"

Sirius ran a hand through his shoulder-length black hair, freeing it of the elegant royal blue ribbon that usually held it in place. "_Snivellus_ never really hurt us," he said, spitting out the words as if it pained him a great deal to say them. "Sure, he put us in the hospital wing sometimes, but that was all. The insults were pointless, and his spellwork is rather shoddy. Evans did the unthinkable. James is now a shell of his former self – you can't violate a person more than destroying a part of his soul."

Remus looked sadly at his friend, creases appearing upon his worn face. "Alright," he said heavily. "But I go against my instincts when I do this…"

His friend clapped him heartily on his back. "You won't regret it, mate," he said cheerfully, going back to his writing.

The brown-haired wizard looked out the window and upon the darkened grounds. "Perhaps," he said softly. "Perhaps…"

**James**

_He could feel nothing, as if he was an intangible entity. What was pain? What was love? James felt a certain light-headedness overwhelm his senses, sending his ghostly body into a vortex of blackness._

_It was almost comforting in more ways than one, not being able to feel the whip-like backlash of his poorly judged actions. The young man felt strangely detached, as if floating upon a river flowing downstream with no urge to paddle or control his path._

_Float downstream. Everything is easier._

_A sense of nothingness washed over him, numbing all of his senses and deadening all thought. However, he could now feel emptiness within, as if he was simply a hollow shell of a person. It seemed to only be a small pit of nothingness, but it ate at whatever emotions he had stored within his memory. Like a muggle eraser, it brutally wiped the color out of the treasured memories he had of his life, turning previously vibrant images into dull black and white ones._

_To ease the pain…_

_A terrible sense of incompletion overwhelmed his mind. He was crippled – only a partial man now. _

James awoke without a sound, his previously warm brown eyes eerily empty. The charismatic air that seemed almost infectious had been deadened as if a blanket were smothering its glow. Anyone who chanced to walk in on him would immediately notice the emptiness within his countenance and bearing.

"Oh good heavens, Mr. Potter," cried Madam Pomfrey. "You're awake at last!"

"May I go back to the Tower now?" he asked.

The motherly matron stopped in her tracks at the sound of his voice. It was flat and almost monotonous, exactly opposite to his rough but sweet baritone voice that made girls swoon. It had an almost unearthly tinge to it, a hint of undying sorrow that made his voice human.

The small hairs on the back of her neck stood up at the chillingly empty voice. She shook her head a few times, trying to clear the haunting image of his fathomless eyes that had been seared in her memory.

"You may go," she whispered, her eyes shut.

What she didn't see was the small lopsided smile that appeared upon his lips, filled with remorse and misery.

**Remus**

The two friends had been casting the _Replica_ spell late into the night, duplicating Sirius' original copy so that there would be enough to distribute in the morning. They had finished in the early morning the next day, around three o'clock, before going to bed. Sirius had instantly fallen asleep, that Remus could be sure of after hearing his loud snores.

The werewolf had tossed and turned for an hour, his mind in turmoil. Guilt gnawed at his sides, an insistent feeling of discomfort and overwhelming disappointment in himself. The Headmaster had always said he wanted to please his friends to much, that he let them get away with too many things.

Perhaps he had gone too far now, betraying the trust and severing the friendship of Lily by helping Sirius prank her. Merlin forbid, he had even charmed the paper with a modified Notice-Me-Not charm so that Lily wouldn't get a hold of one of the notices.

Deep inside, the werewolf knew that he held a soft spot for the beautiful muggle-born witch. He didn't love her as James did, but she was almost like the sister he had never had. Betraying her trust in such a way as assisting Sirius in launching a prank war against her was like betraying a part of his family. But he knew what she had done, even though it was an accident. The young man's loyalty was divided among the sister and brother that he had grown to love and cherish as family members over the past seven years.

He chanced a peek at Padfoot's sleeping form, letting out a small sigh of sadness. Sirius had always hated his family, treasuring his friends far above his mother, father, and brother. He had no battle to fight – he hated Lily for what she had done to James. If she came clean one day, his volatile feelings would change once more.

"Damn you Sirius," he muttered to himself quietly. "Why do you have to be so adaptable?"

It was really not his fault that he stuck so closely to the ones he knew had always given him unconditional love and affection. In a way it was an instinct of his, to never let those around him go or drift away after time elapsed.

His round eyes shimmered slightly, filling up with unshed tears for the heart-wrenching predicament he was in. Why couldn't life be easy for him? Why did everything he tried to do always backfire? Remus felt a small tear slide down the side of his nose, tasting its salty sadness when it met his acute taste buds, letting its bitterness mingle with the rest of the tears that continued to spill over.

The feeling wasn't new to him, the pulling of sides in his mind. No, it was simply amplified like never before. He could feel the strain and stress in his body, the tiredness that was emanating from his body. The werewolf's keen senses were amplifying the already devastating guilt, letting it boil and turn within him like a full meal eaten with an upset stomach.

Suddenly his sensitive ears picked up the tell-tale creak of someone opening the door trying to be as silent as possible. The werewolf peeked over his worn coverlet to see a rumpled mess of raven-black hair. Despite his conflicted state of mind, he smiled broadly and threw back his covers.

"James!" he cried, delighted to see his friends back. "I knew Madam Pomfrey would be able –"

He stopped in mid-sentence when his friend turned around to face him. Unlike what Madam Pomfrey had seen, James had regained a bit more feeling in his features, but his energetic air was still absent, and his face was permanently etched with sadness. His brown eyes were still quite dull, appearing to be endless pools of soul-wrenching grief.

"Like my new look?" he asked quietly, sitting down on his rumpled sheets.

His voice was soft now, almost timid. Where it was strong and vibrant before, it was now filled with an unfathomable amount of weariness and grief that usually indicated a long life of hardships. His posture was still upright and proud, something he had learned as a young child in the Potter household, but boldness and daring had been replacing with a resigned air.

"Merlin's Beard!" Remus exclaimed, staring in awestruck horror. "Did Pomfrey do _anything_ for you?"

He shook his head in response, lying down on the bed so that the werewolf could only see his knees. "No," he sighed. "She didn't know what to do. I suppose I scared her into letting me out so early."

"You scared her?" he asked, raising and eyebrow for effect. "It's sort of hard to scare a school nurse who's seen battered Quidditch players who leapt from their broom to catch the Quaffle and score the winning goal."

James shifted his body so that he would be lying on his side, before appearing to change his mind and sit up to face his lycanthropic friend once more. "Shocked her, more like," he said dismissively.

"What's wrong?" asked Remus tentatively. "What happened to you?"

"I gave her the pendant," he said, barely whispering, his eyes shut as if he were remembering the pain. "I knew it was stupid, but I had to give it to her. The box was burning a hole in my pocket; I had to get my real feelings through to her. When she rejected it, I remember…"

"Go on," said the werewolf, enraptured by the tale unfolding before him.

James opened his eyes, pain flickering through like a knife slashing through the sadness. "I remember my heart constricting, as if something were – _squeezing _it. It hurt like hell, Moony, and I couldn't see anything but the memory of Lily rejecting it being played over and over," he said, his voice filled with emotional pain. "I can't feel love anymore, but you know what? I remember what it is, despite not being able to recall the happiness I felt. I _know_ it was there, and despite all of this, I still love her."

The brown-haired wizard's heart sank at the last four words. He knew that Sirius would never back down, back out of the plan to launch an all-out prank war. Getting a Black to sway over a decision they made clear that they approved of was nothing short of impossible.

"How can you still love her, Prongs?" he asked, his tone tinged with the guilt of plotting behind his back with Sirius.

He didn't answer; leaving the young man even more conflicted than before. Soon, James' light snores joined the rumbling reverberations being issued from Sirius' bed. The werewolf sighed and lay back down on the worn cotton sheets that covered the soft mattress.

Within James' dreams, he was chasing an angel with a head of red-gold hair, laughing as she continued to elude him, ignoring his pleads to stop. His legs felt worn, and his heart was hammering madly. Still, she laughed, the beautiful sound resonating through the air, speeding up so that she was merely a flash of ruby at the edge of his vision, turning as he turned so that he couldn't see more than a glimpse of her beautiful face.

_Seems like just yesterday  
You were a part of me  
I used to stand so tall  
I used to be so strong  
Your arms around me tight  
Everything, it felt so right  
Unbreakable, like nothin' could go wrong  
Now I can't breathe  
No, I can't sleep  
I'm barely hanging on  
_

_  
Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes  
_

_  
I told you everything  
Opened up and let you in  
You made me feel alright  
For once in my life  
Now all that's left of me  
Is what I pretend to be  
So together, but so broken up inside  
'Cause I can't breathe  
No, I can't sleep  
I'm barely hangin' on_

__

Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces  
Can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes

(Song Lyrics by Kelly Clarkson from _Behind These Hazel Eyes_)

**Author's Notes**

_That took a lot longer than I expected – I kept getting sidetracked by this great fanfic I'm reading. Anyway, my troubles don't matter, as long as I finish the chapter on time and get it out to you guys. :grins: As a side note, don't expect to see much of Peter in this story. You may have already noticed, but I'm not exactly a fan of his. He doesn't seem very real to me, in my mind, so I'm unable to fool around with him in my story since I can't quite grasp his character. I suppose it's because of my lack of effort, but many people don't like him anyway. :shrugs:_

_Either way, Thanksgiving half days are coming up, and instead of slacking off like all other authors who are eager to spend their time preparing for the holiday of bounty, I'm going to try and bring updates faster than ever. _

_Each chapter I write now takes around five to six hours since I have so much stuff on my mind. When I write part of a chapter every other day, I'm supposed to be studying for tests, doing projects, and doing homework in general. I tell my parents that I did those things already, but really haven't. I don't know how I'm acing school, but the projects can't be done on the sly. I'm under a lot of stress since I'm supposed to be quite clever. Let's just hope I'm smart enough to pull this off._

_Katie – Angst keeps you at the edge of your seat and really hooks you into the story if it's done properly. :smiles: Thanks, and here's your update!_

_Unfeeling – Thanks. :grins: He's had part of his soul torn out and is starting to feel the effects, I think he may turn out to be more than just sad… Dum dum dum…_

_IcyCrystal – Thanks, and lack of reviews? I think this story is doing splendidly now that some new reviewers have emerged… At least that is, compared to my other story _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love_. :frowns:_

_BrightonBaby – I was hoping someone would give me feedback on the part where he is rejected. Thanks! I know it wasn't poetic, sometimes I can't fit that much description into the chapter because it wouldn't work well. Sorry._

_kkroonie – Thanks, and Happy Extremely Belated Halloween to you. :smiles:_

_SoxTragicallyxInsane – Cruel… Yes, so very cruel of me. Mwhahahaha! Here's your update and may I seem more redeemed in your eyes. :wink:_


	6. Chapter 5: Rising Badgers

James rose later than usual the following morning, running his left hand through a mop of unruly black hair. Blinking rather owlishly, he peered around as the dusty beams of sunlight illuminated two empty beds and the softly snoring form of Remus Lupin.

Shifting slowly but surely as to avoid setting off the creaking sounds of a customary old mattress; the young wizard swung lithe body around and gently got to his feet. To anyone looking upon his yawning and stretching figure, he was simply the normal James Potter – Chaser extraordinaire and most wanted but unavailable wizard at Hogwarts. However, his normally pure brown eyes looked different, but would pass under all but the most rigorous inspections.

Hazel brown irises now had flaming flecks of gold ringing his coal black pupils. It was an astonishing affect, one that sent involuntary shivers up someone's spine. As intriguing as they were, James' eyes seemed almost detached from reality.

The short everyday-morning stretching routine soon was completed, leaving the seventh year to rummage around in his wardrobe for suitable traveling clothes. A quick glance at his sleek silver watch confirmed that it was half past eight o' clock. Shaking his head in an annoyed fashion, he tapped the celestial display and nearly fell over in shock.

The schedule that appeared in its stead asserted that he was due at the Hogwarts Express in exactly fifteen minutes. Having not packed due to the previous night's chaotic atmosphere and being knocked out for most of the time, he was understandably panicked. James speedily flung himself across the room and upon his sleeping friend.

"Wake up Moony!" he urged, his voice desperate. "Help me!"

"Go 'way…" muttered the bleary werewolf.

Waving his wand in rushed impatience, a pail of cold water appeared and proceeded to dispose of its contents upon the small patch of brown hair that lay hidden under worn covers.

"Gah!" shrieked the usually placid wizard, bolting up from his curled up position. "What in Merlin's name was that for?"

"You've got to help me pack my trunk… or even choose out an outfit!" exclaimed the harried-looking black-haired boy. "You know how my parents are about maintaining dignity in public!"

Although he usually took to wearing simple and casual pieces of clothing around, the Potter family was renowned for their fierce pride that was rumored to stem from a long line of respectable but hard-headed Gryffindors. Pureblood society rules of engagement frowned upon the casual clothing many students donned during school time, looking at it as a slight upon one's family.

"Alright, alright," returned the still-half awake wizard, holding his hands up in defeat. "I'll help you pack your stuff. Glad you're back among the live and conscious again, by the way."

James' countenance and posture shifted slightly at his friend's last off-handed remark. "Right," he said, eyes glimmering for a moment. "We have barely fifteen minutes and I still have to catch breakfast and find Sirius."

"We created the Map for a reason," muttered Remus, his voice muffled as he had started to rummage through his wardrobe to locate some of his own clothes. "Breakfast can be snitched from the kitchens. Now is there really anything that you need for over the holidays?"

"I don't know!" he exclaimed rather distractedly. "All I know is that I can't find anything that's acceptable! Who in Merlin's name decided that all Potter heirs had to always look composed, proud, handsome, but also hinting at some balderdash involving command and power?"

"Your family that you're currently preoccupied with cursing to the ends of this earth, that's who," replied the calmer young man.

Remus quickly located a crisp pair of slacks and a white shirt. Quickly throwing on the garments, he rummaged around before pulling out tan traditional robes lined with a thin border of gold. Because the Lupins were neither well off nor poor, the lycanthrope reserved the simple but elegant robe for demanding occasions such as the one at hand.

"Are you going to work on some of the prototypes we've begun to create?" he asked, straightening his collar before picking up a messy stack of papers.

"Maybe – don't forget the Ancient Runes sheet Sirius started in October!" James called, emerging from the dark wood doors of the wardrobe with a robe in hand before tossing it into the growing pile upon his bed and diving back in. "I can't find those robes that my mother commissioned for this before the year started! And why can't I just greet my parents with a clean shirt and slacks?"

"Because that's what goes on _under_ your robes," countered his light-haired friend. "Meanwhile, stop shouting and grab any shirt and any slacks. Your robe can't be that hard to find after you've cleared that much out of your stock anyway."

An unruly mop of hair emerged once more. "Remind me what the damned Potter colors are, will you?" he asked with a frustrated edge to his voice. "My mind is scrambled – I doubt I could tell the difference between an Aethonon and a Hippogriff right now."

"Clear that cluttered and unorganized mind of yours for once and you'll realize that you've just thrown your robe into the 'Discard' pile, you dunderhead!" teased Remus, pulling a magnificent navy-blue robe made of thick, expensive material.

James accepted the robe with a grateful smile, pulling on a pair of off-white slacks and a dark blue, nearly black, silk shirt before donning the traditional Wizarding garment. The regal Potter crest was emblazoned upon the front, a pure white phoenix with outstretched wings fluttering majestically in front of two crossed swords.

"Do I 'exude an underlying sense of power and command' yet?" he asked dryly, plopping down on his rumpled sheets to don coal-black boots.

The other wizard cocked his head to one side, as if considering James' appearance before smiling cheekily. "Still our little Jamie," he said in a mock-mournful voice, shaking his head. "Hurry up, you have barely enough time to nip down to the kitchens and track down Padfoot."

Remus tossed a small black knapsack which James deftly caught and shouldered. "All of the drawings, plans, and prototypes are in here right?" he asked, peering into the dark recesses of the enchanted bag's contents.

"The Map is in there too," assured the werewolf. "I have plenty of time to find Pete – we're leaving at noon."

"Write a lot," reminded the Gryffindor Chaser with a brief smile. "Not that you need reminding… But, anyway, don't forget to join us two days after Christmas. We'll exchange presents then, seeing as Sirius and I are a bit behind schedule."

With that, James ducked into the dimly light corridor and raced down the steps, nearly knocking over several Gryffindor girls in his year. They giggled slightly and waved to him, some being a bit more daring and smiling suggestively at him.

Considering that he rarely interacted with girls other than during classes when he was partnered with one or with Lily, James had little knowledge about the opposite sex. Being surrounded by male friends, the oblivious Chaser had no idea what he looked like, rushing down the stairs and into the Common Room, his lithe and athletic frame perfectly accented and slightly flaunted by his clothes.

Flashing the small group a rushed and unconsciously charismatic smile, the raven-haired wizard streaked past the girls that had suddenly dissolved into a fit of giggles. He had also overlooked a few stray pieces of parchment that littered the crimson carpet and the rumors that had begun to fly around the school about his and Lily's encounter the previous night.

The young man's speeding created a small gust of wind, overturning what had appeared to be a scrap of parchment at first glance. The small gust fondled the fragile piece, turning it over slightly to reveal the sign of the Marauders and Sirius' slightly embellished script. However, he paid no attention to such a mundane thing, preferring to focus on the larger parchment he had in hand.

"_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_," he murmured, tapping his wand to the battered sheet of parchment.

Ink seemed to slowly seep from the center of the Map, quickly diffusing and crawling out as if guided by a brush and forming the walls and features of Hogwarts' corridors, classrooms, broom closets, and secret passages. James keen eyes flickered over the surface, scanning the dots that labeled students, ghosts, and teachers by name.

Sirius' specially colored name jumped out as soon as the he passed over the Great Hall. "_Mischief managed,_" he murmured, stowing the Map safely back into his knapsack. There would be no use of it at Potter Mansion, but the enchantments he, Sirius, and Peter had layered upon it years ago would serve well as a reference for some of the experiments they were currently working on.

Making daring leaps between the moving staircases that only a long-time Quidditch player could pull off with fluid grace, the Gryffindor landed on the ground floor not showing any exertion on his part. Resettling the tough woven strap of his knapsack firmly on his shoulder, the Chaser made his way over to the young Black heir.

"Oy!" he shouted. "Padfoot!"

The tall frame of Sirius Black turned around to reveal that the young heir too was dressed in a set of formal black robes with the Black crest emblazoned across the left side of the front. A grey muggle t-shirt was in plain sight under the robe, an obvious slight to his hated descendants and family alike.

"Thought you'd never get here, mate," exclaimed the aristocratic youth. "I was beginning to wonder if leaving you and Moony in the same room was a good idea. You both sleep like logs."

Having gotten over the stressful rush to get ready, the raven-haired wizard's eyes had regained an unfocused detached air once more. "I've got everything," he said absently. "I missed the raid on the kitchens though."

Padfoot, as his friends liked to call him, handed a thick white cloth napkin to his friends peering rather intently at James' countenance. "I had the house elves cast a few basic charms on a load muffins and biscuits. They should tide you over until after the train ride."

The make-shift package was gladly taken by the hungry young man who immediately broke off a part of the sugar-coated top of a blueberry muffin. Popping the crunchy part of goodness into his mouth, James averted his eyes as if in search of something or someone. "Seen Sluggy yet?" he asked. "I have that essay on the effect of combining essence of unicorn blood and griffin feathers."

"Theoretical nonsense, that is," commented Sirius. "I think he's still taking breakfast in the Great Hall. If you hurry we can run – _really_ quickly – and hand in our essays before flying to the Hogwarts Express, assuming that you have your shrunken broom _somewhere_ on you."

Before the suggested plan could be set into motion, a winged box flew up to them. Upon its polish bronze surface read "_Deposit Seventh Year Potions Essays Here_" in nearly undecipherable and overly flourished handwriting.

Raising an eyebrow, Padfoot had a hard time suppressing his laughter. "Always had a thing for embellishments, didn't he?"

Ignoring his friend's antics, the young man deposited his essay in the box, not even batting an eye when it opened to reveal contents the size of a large traveling trunk. Not bothering to pay the fluttering contraption any more attention, he fished around in the pockets of his slacks before producing his wand and shrunken broom.

"_Engorgio,_" he incanted, watching as the broom expanded until he was holding its sleek, polished handle normally. Flowing golden script at the handle of the broom read "_Starstreak, Property of James H. Potter_".

Noting that his close friend already had a broom in hand, the Chaser grinned slightly. "D'you reckon a Beater could outfly a Chaser?" he asked challengingly.

"We'll find out, won't we?" responded the black-haired youth.

James noticed a small frown appear upon Sirius' frowned face. It was unusual for him to respond so placidly to such an obvious challenge, perhaps the young Black would figure it all out.

Bidding farewell to Remus and Peter, the two friends mounted their brooms on the soft carpet of snow outside of Hogwarts' great doors. As they hovered a few feet off of the ground, James quickly pulled out a pair of Quidditch gauntlets from his black knapsack. Made of thick leather, they were navy blue in color and lined with thin strips of gold. Casting a quick glance to his side, the wizard saw Sirius copying his actions with a similarly designed pair of gauntlets that were entirely ebony black.

"Ready?" he asked, gripping the polished broom handle fiercely.

"Always," smirked Sirius, unexpectedly leaning forward as he gained altitude and speed.

Urging his own broom to match his best friend's speed, James quickly gained upon him. However, the idea of finishing in second and last place did not hold a place in his troubled mind. The usual exhilaration of flying seemed to be duller and harder to reach, the rushing feeling in his stomach almost entirely absent.

However, the feeling of muted joy was still present, and any astute observer might have a chance at seeing the gold that blazed about his pupils recede slightly. For James, the shifting colors slightly lifted the damper upon his emotions of happiness. He grinned slightly – what magic bound his emotions was unknown to him, but he would unravel its mystery soon. Perhaps he wouldn't need to tell anyone after all.

**Remus**

Brushing some snow off of his off-white robes, the sandy-haired young man turned around with a sigh. The tension that had built in his mind over James' predicament had dissipated somewhat, but his worry had not gone entirely yet.

Something in his friend's air and actions troubled his mind, but even the keen-minded werewolf couldn't place what it was. Shrugging slightly to himself, Remus returned to the castle and headed directly towards the Great Hall.

An earlier suspicion was quickly confirmed as his sharp eyesight picked out the rather pudgy for of Peter Pettigrew at the far end of the Gryffindor Table. As the tempting aroma of heart English breakfast foods overwhelmed his senses, the werewolf let out another sigh and set off towards his remaining friend.

Passing the considerably thinned crowd perched upon the wooden benches, Remus slid into a seat next to Peter. "Sirius and James are off," he reported, sadness tingeing his voice.

"Did James take the sheets and prototypes?"

"Everything – I let him take the Map for reference as well."

"Good. Try the sausages – the House Elves just finished baking them," urged the younger wizard.

The werewolf managed a tired smile, accepting the heavy platter. Loading several of the thick, steaming brown-skinned sausages on to his plate, he passed it back to Peter. A few moments later, Remus had a plate filled with various items and he began to eat.

Halfway through a pile of herb-seasoned potato wedges, the sandy-haired wizard felt a small tap on his back. Fighting back the urge to punch the lights out of whoever was separating him from his meal, Remus quickly twisted his body around.

Swallowing his remaining forkful, his eyes lighted upon the towering figure of a seventh year student, Hufflepuff from the looks of his robes. "Yes?" he asked, giving a pointed glare at the wizard to convey his annoyance.

"Remus Lupin?" inquired the tall boy.

"Yes?" he reiterated with growing irritation. James' unorthodox method of wakening not half an hour ago had not served to cheer him up or soothe his ruffled nerves.

"I'm Robert Kidgel," he continued, ignoring the werewolf's silent messages. "I got one of your flyers this morning, and the seventh year Hufflepuffs and I got together and decided on something."

"And that would be?" Remus was not feeling as charitable as usual, as Robert's need for prompting beginning to cause his temper to flare with impatience.

"We think it's high time for the Hufflepuff House to show a hidden side," he announced proudly, as if proclaiming his solution for world peace.

"Continue..." he ground out, now struggling to keep his temper in check.

"We'll help you in the prank war that you've declared!" he said finally, finishing a statement that had taken him an overly long two minutes and all of Remus' frayed patience.

Suddenly, all thoughts of a conveniently placed Bat-Bogey Hex and pool of cold water vanished. The werewolf's faintly tanned complexion paled and he could have sworn that Sirius was laughing in unsuppressed delight.

"Help?" he parroted in shock, eyes wide.

"Yes," replied the Hufflepuff. "It's going to be something that'll go down in Hogwarts: A History isn't it? The Hufflepuff House finally rising up to do something – it sounds almost foreign. And don't worry, we won't let you down."

With the shocking Exploding Hex dropped, the seventh year walked away whistling cheerfully, leaving the werewolf in a state of utter horror.

He had expected Sirius to go through with his idea, but not to the extent he'd just discovered. The mischievous Padfoot usually kept his schemes and plans of grand revenge within his trusted House. Never before had he extended it to the whole school, and never before had _anyone_ convinced the Hufflepuffs to join in on such an activity.

"What's wrong, Moony?" came a curious voice at his side. "You look like you've just seen a dragon."

"Nothing," he said faintly, not really surprised that Peter had missed the entire event. He ate more single-mindedly than the lycanthrope ever hoped to.

With a shrug, the pudgy seventh year returned to his loaded plate, attacking an almost illegal amount of scrambled eggs, leaving Remus alone with his troubled thoughts once more.

However, only one coherent thought seemed to stand out in the mass of confusion and horror.

_If Lily ever finds out I helped with this, she's going to kill me._

**Author's Notes**

_I'm _so_ sorry about the huge update gap, but I was working on _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love_ before Christmas break when I completely stopped. I'm also sorry to announce that all updates for this story will be postponed until I finish _Reborn from the Ruins of Lost Love_. It just seems like I have more ideas, more inspiration, for that fic._

_I'm getting busier and busier, so the aforementioned decision was also based on the fact that I barely have time to write any new chapters at all. These days I'm loaded down with MATHCOUNTS practices for at _least_ two hours three times a week. I also have to practice for All South Jersey, where I have rehearsals from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on January 6 and 7, then the concert in on the eighth. _

_I'm expecting to have this schedule ease a bit after late February, so don't lose hope. You can sign up for Story Alerts if you must, but just remember I haven't abandoned you._

_Thank you for your unending, unwavering support._

_I'll Open Your Book – smiles Thanks for reviewing!_

_Emmy – Talk about randomness. Thanks for reading (Finally!)_

_Brighton Baby – I was hoping someone would like this new, vengeful side of Sirius. You rarely see it in J.K. Rowling's books, but it's there._

_A-man – Thanks. smiles_

_The Cardboard Moon – A new dedicated reader? I hope I haven't crushed you by not updating and introducing this new postponing-updates thing. frowns Sorry._

_Suzie – Thanks. smiles_

_Cest.steffie – Here's your update, but I'm afraid that another won't be due for a while…_

_Neha – Thanks, and I don't think I'm doing too well with this fic. The ideas just don't come as quickly as the ones for _Reborn _do. With my other fic, I can dream up of complicated plots and connect even more things to make it even better. It's a lot harder here. Volatile? God, I love that word. wink Hehe, I do hate those fics.. bleh By the way, your oneshot is realllllly good. You're an awesome writer! _


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